Customer Reviews

Seatrain/Marblehead Messenger

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

First off, a couple of reviewers here only gave this CD four stars. I am so stunned by that, I can hardly spit! Dear God, does it get any better than 1971 Seatrain! I think not!

This double CD contains both the second and third Seatrain albums titled "Seatrain" (released in early 1971) and "Marblehead Messenger" (released in late 1971).

The FIRST Seatrain album was released in mid-1969 on A&M Records (the CD now available from Edsel) and was called Sea Train (two words) with band members: Andy Kulberg (bass player/flutist); Jim Roberts (lyricist); Richard Greene (violinist); John Gregory (singer/guitarist); Don Kretmar (saxophonist) and Roy Blumenfeld (drummer).

This debut album enjoyed only moderate success.

Kulberg, Roberts and Greene stayed on while Gregory, Kretmar and Blumenfeld left the band in 1970. They were replaced with: Peter Rowan (singer/guitarist), Lloyd Baskin (singer/keyboard player) and Larry Atamanuik (drummer)

The second album was ALSO titled "Seatrain" (one word). It was released in early 1971 on Capital Records and produced by the Beatles' ex-producer, George Martin.

THIS is the album everyone loves and talks about! It contains their commercial hit "13 Questions" and ten other exceptional tunes: I'm Willin'; Song of Job; Broken Morning; Home To You; Out Where The Hills; Waiting For Elijah; Oh My Love; Sally Goodin'; Creepin' Midnight and (the incomparable) Orange Blossom Special.

I'm not going to expound on the individual songs contained on the above album except to say it wins my "deserted island" contest. Yes, this is my favorite album OF ALL TIME and the ONE I would take with me to listen to in perpetuity if I could only select one! What higher accolade could one bestow on an album!

Next (in late 1971) came their third album "Marblehead Messenger" (also on Capital Records and produced by George Martin) with all the same band members as the second album.

So, the double CD offered here contains the only two Seatrain LP's with the exact same band members, the same label and same producer. I'm a big fan of "Marblehead Messenger," but not to the extent that I am with their second album.

Greene, Rowan and Atamanuik left Seatrain after "Marblehead Messenger" and were replaced with three new people.

Seatrain's next and final album, released in 1973, was called "Watch" (by this time they had signed with Warner Bros.). One song on there I always liked is called "Bloodshot Eyes".

Anyway, I wrote these comments more-or-less to set the record straight on some facts. I hope this is helpful.

Ok, first off - this is the band that did "13 Questions" and if that's what you're looking for, it's on this CD. Yay!

Now - as to the rest of the CD?

This is Seatrain's 2nd and 3rd album (both produced by George Martin, altho I understand the 3rd one he was much less hands on) and they both kick butt.

Seatrain was founded from parts of the Blues Project and certainly has some of the same blues rock feeling, but with the addition of a fiddle player they do get into more of a bluegrass thing as well - witness "Orange Blossom Special" for instance. But afew of the songs (Gramercy forinstance) have a very english folk feel - a la Fairport Convention.

And most of it just straight ahead rocks out - Seatrain might even be a precursor to bands like Kansas with the twin violin/guitar lead instrument pairing.

Anyway, there's just tons of good music on this CD - 13 Questions, Gramercy, Orange Blossom Special, The Song of Job (yes, the Job from the bible - rockin' tune!), and lots of others.

This CD is really worth getting, the music holds up well and you can see what bands were like when they had breadth of sound and weren't just focused on "their demo", so to speak.

I was digging through my parents' record collection from the 60's and 70's and came across this album. From the second I put the needle to the vinyl I knew that this was my kind of music. Nothing can quite beat the sound of an old vinyl, but the copy I had was rather scratched and damaged, so I came to the web to find a new copy. Resigning myself to the advancement in technology, I purchased this CD. Not only is the quality amazing, but the album insert is rather informative as well.

If this is your first time with Seatrain, buy this album. I guarentee you'll be hooked from the first note of I'm Willin'

If you're a long time Seatrain fan, then you'll find this CD very high quality. The remastering does Seatrain justice.

5 stars most definately

The first CD in this set is great. I'm Willin' and 13 Questions and, perhaps one of my all time favorites, Creepin' Midnight are there.

The group has more than mastered their parts, vocal and instrumental. They're tight and clear.

But all the musical talant and skill that was brought to bear on Marblehead Messenger could not cover up lousy song writing. Nothing there captures my imagination.

I don't regret buying the set because I adore most of the first CD and I'm very glad to have it. But, don't get your hopes up for the second CD.

Anyone out there in amazon-land searching for real quality 70's american rock/country-rock/bluegrass music of timeless enjoyment , then few bands EVER matched the quality of SEATRAIN!!This band had everything.....2 fabulously talented lead singers ..Peter Rowan(who ofcourse went on to much greater fame..Old & in the way /The Rowan Brothers( my all time favourite harmony group), & the other guy ..Lloyd Baskin, and , boy, could he sing!!!Then the musical talents of Andy Kulberg & Richard Greene on extraordinary violin made Seatrain a fabulous concept.Their songwriting material was truly, truly excellent,mostly written by Rowan or Baskinthemselves , nearly every song on the e[ponymous 1st. album & the Marblehead messenger (2nd.) album is truly brilliant & memorable, even now, 30 years later!!Seatrain were a totally unique band of musicians & singers.This 2 set c.d. proves it!!(I only wish i could trace what became of Mr. Lloyd Baskin himself..what a vocalist!1Does anybody know??????? Get this gem !!!

This is the album of many boomers youth. If you are looking for the "popular Seatrain" album with 13 questions and all the other hits this is it. If you are new to Seatrain you must have this CD

He obviously was looking for something else. This is the CD you remember from the great Seatrain. You remember the great tracks - I'm Willing, Waiting for Elijah, Song of Job, 13 Questions, Orange Blossom Special, etc. It's packaged with Seatrain's 3rd release, so this is a 2 CD set. Both CDs are remastered from the original master tapes and sound excellent. The booklet inside contains all the original liner notes from the LP plus additional newly added background info. I have the original LP and was glad to find this remastered CD - It's great.

Fun story...back in the early 70's my older sister got this album from her boyfriend to let me listen to, since I was a young budding teen violinist. I could not believe what I was hearing as a mid-western Nebr. gal new to this music form. I stared at the album, read it over and over, and memorized every tune while listening endlessly...I just wanted to meet Richard Greene, and find out how he played those great licks.
Well, in the fall of '81, I moved to L.A. to become a professional violinist, and was asked to play a quartet gig in Laguna Beach of Cole Porter, and Gershwin with a band. Sitting down on the chair next to me, was a tall man, who introduced himself as Richard Greene. My eyes popped out of my head, and I asked in astounding amazement..."You mean, Richard Greene from SeaTrain, 13 Questions, Job, Orange Blossom Special?" He said, "Yes, that's me." That was my first professional "gig" in LA, and we've become very good friends. What a small world! He's just the best! This album is awesome and changed my world. No one plays Orange Blossom Special better than Richard, and the entire album ROCKS! It's thrilling to find it here again.

I attended my first real concert at Colgate University back in 1971 (Youngbloods and Seatrain) Loved the Youngbloods act but boy, that Seatrain...had no idea music was meant to be so good...had to have a souvenier so I bought the 13 Questions album...every time I add it to the changer, I'm back at the concert and remembering what I've been missing. Maybe I'm just a sentimentalist but this album takes me places. Great song writing and polish. Thanks George Martin! My apologies to Jesse Colin Young and company...I still love ya' but Seatrain was some act to have to follow.

If you are reading reviews here because the, `Customers who bought this item also bought', brought you here and you buy this CD just out of curiosity, you are in for a treat. As far as what can come from people having the talent to write and perform original music and have fun doing it, this group hits a high mark. I suspect this is one of the reasons George Martin chose to produce for this group.

Because the music is a little different the acquired taste factor maybe required for many people. The first time I heard some of the tracks on these CDs I thought they were god awful. After hearing a few of the tracks a million times my opinion on those has not changed, but on the ones I have liked I cannot get enough.

Overall I would rate the first CD of this set as one my favorite albums. Although you might not acquire a taste for the music on these CDs I doubt you would miss seeing the talent if you are willing to look for it.

Buying music you have not heard does not make any sense to me, but this is how I discovered this group. You may not like what you get, but in my opinion this group is worth taking a chance on.